At Exowatt, our team is made up of builders, engineers, and problem-solvers who are passionate about delivering clean, reliable energy at scale. Juan Jimenez, a Mechanical Engineer on our Optical Engineering team, shares how his drive for impact led him to Exowatt, why startup culture suits him, and what he's building that's never been made before.
Describe your background and how it led you to Exowatt.
My background is in Mechanical Engineering, and I've had the chance to study across a lot of different areas, which lets me move fluidly across different parts of the engineering stack. I came straight out of my Master's knowing I wanted to join a startup. I had interned at one before and loved working on a small team where your contributions have a real impact. That experience is what helped me find my way to Exowatt.
What project or achievement at Exowatt are you especially proud of?
I've been fortunate enough to work across thermal, structural, and optical subsystems since joining. One thing that stands out about Exowatt is how quickly we iterate for a hardware startup, and that pace is what allows me to take on work like what I'm doing now: building a novel optical system prototype for our Optical Engineering team—something that has never been made before. I'm really proud to be a part of that.
Can you describe a specific moment when a teammate had your back or helped you through a challenge?
That's a hard one to narrow down to a single moment. Everyone here is genuinely invested in each other's success. If you're working through a tough problem or just need a different perspective, people will go out of their way to help. Special shoutout to Chris, Pedro, and Ehsan.
What have you learned about working in a startup environment?
Having done it before, I already knew flexibility and adaptability were important. But something I'd really emphasize is the value of being a self-starter with a strong sense of urgency and agency. If you see a problem that has a direct impact on the company's success, go solve it. That bias toward action is what makes people thrive in this environment.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
Miami is incredible for scuba diving and spearfishing, so I take full advantage of that. I'm also into photography. And more recently, I've gotten deep into the world of matcha—if you're ever in the area, check out Bonsai Coffee in Miami Shores. You won't regret it.
We're always looking for curious, mission-driven people to join the team. Check out our open roles and help us build the future of energy.
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